Be Still and Know this Advent

I read an Advent devotional on the importance and role of stillness, and then came across this entry I made on December 14th 2009, which I reprise here once again for a different audience.

 Once more, enjoy!

 Last night, I went to the site, "Following the Star," which I religiously visited during Advent last year. But here I am, a year later, finding myself very busy and frazzled as I consider all the activities on my dance card, and the entry I read is very appropriately titled, "Be Still and Know..."

This is one of my most favorite scripture verses - from Psalm 46:10 to be more precise - "Be still and know that I am God." I have written about this verse before in many ways. And now it comes to me, as a gentle reminder of the season, calling me to stillness, to silence, and to being more centered amidst so many activities that are pulling me in so many directions.

Here is an excerpt from the passage that I read last night, authored by Tracy Hartman, a theologian and professor of homiletics:

"Be still and know...

How do we know God, and what can we know about God...?

Coming to know God is a process...it takes time for us...

Knowing God means realizing that the power of God affects both our present reality, as we live as God's children each day, and our future, as we place our hope in a new reality with God yet to be revealed...

Where are you in the process of getting to know God? Advent provides us with a great opportunity to be still, to acknowledge God's power, and to invite God to transform both our present and our future."

In the midst of so much - the messages arrives - delicately laid down in the cave of my heart - to be still and know God - for in doing so - I come to know myself more deeply. It is also a reminder that all these activities and even this very life will someday pass - but the only thing I will carry with me and take with me into the next life and/or Eternity - will be how much I have come to know, experience, and reflect God's Presence in my life. It is against this yardstick that the progress of my soul will be measured...

Reading this passage is also a gentle reminder, that it is precisely in these times of much busyness that we must simply slow down. I remember a homilist once saying, that if we think we are too busy, then we are simply too busy!

Be still and know -
the heart, the mind, the soul of God.
Be still and know your own...
Be still and hear the heartbeat of God
beating in the cave of your heart
as your own...
Be still and know silence.
Be still and become 
that oasis of silence for others.
Visit the Advent devotional site, Following the Star:
www.followingthestar.org

Comments

Olga Rasmussen said…
You are most welcome Gianni!

Blessings to you!
Olga
December 16, 2013 at 9:14 AM
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